The Diaries of Shaak Ti
by Lone Wolf8
Summary: Delve into the thoughts and musings of Jedi Master Shaak Ti, one of the order's most powerful Masters. This short series occurs a few years before the Blockade of Naboo. [Discontinued]
1. Entry 1

**Author's Notes: **Greetings! I am LoneWolf, Human Insanity Relations, how might I entertain you?

What follows is the journals of my favorite Jedi Master, Shaak Ti, told during the glory age of the Old Republic, before the Blockade of Naboo. There's not a lot known about her. Mostly bits and pieces, so a lot of it will be made up. Consider it my version of her life if you will. I intend to do my best to live up to what few details are given about Shaak Ti in the Expanded Universe.

If you don't know who I'm talking about. Shame on you! And go to the Character Databanks to find out more about her.

With that out of the way, let the story begin. They will be Journal Entries so the length and topic in each entry (chapter) will vary, of course.

- - -

**Logging in…  
Welcome Shaak Ti**

Entry #1

I have decided to begin a new journal, to follow with a new start. My padawan, Fe Sun graduated to knight hood today… I am so proud of her. She looked absolutely wonderful at her knighting ceremony, and so pleased too. I know she will become a great Jedi in time. She is cunning, and she knows the value of patience well, added to her skills with a lightsaber and I have no doubt she will one day be a great Jedi Master. 

Master Yoda insisted on teasing me after her ceremony.   
"Proud of her are you?" He asked  
"Well of course, Master, she is my first Padawan." I had replied.  
"Tripped on her robes on the way to kneel before me for her knighting she might have! Be so proud then, you would not, Hmm?" He asked, giving that mischievous little grin of his and poking at me with his cane.

He can poke out flaws to be mindful of in such comical ways that it ensures you do not berate yourself. I remember when I was just a youngling, before even reaching the age for apprentice ship, I was so head strong, so set in my ways and knowing I was right. Master Yoda taught me how to accept that I wouldn't always have the answers, and he taught me that that wasn't a bad thing. He taught me to except my flaws and not to berate myself for having them, and he still is teaching me today. 

Fe Sun asked to share one final meal with me in my quarters before she would be moving her things to her own new quarters. Even as I type in this data pad journal I sit in the room that was once hers, perched upon her bed and staring out the window over the city just the way she did so often. Part of me is reluctant to change this room back to the private meditation chamber I once used it as. There are so many memories here. After the loss of my first Padawan so shortly after her knighting ceremony I was reluctant to take a second apprentice. Depression is extremely strong in my species. Togruta are clan based people, we thrive around others, when I lost Tai-Lin I was devastated. For months I refused teaching combat of diplomatic negotiations classes. I accepted any mission that involved apprehending suspected pirates and smugglers in hopes of finding Tai-Lin's killer.

Of course, in his wisdom, Yoda saw what I could not. He knew that I needed Fe Sun even more than she needed me. I was traveling a path no Jedi is meant to travel, but when Yoda introduced me to Fe Sun, the hope in her eyes, the look of delight on her face when he told her I was considering mentoring her. I couldn't allow myself to be the cause to extinguish that hope out of her. Now she is on her way toward mastering the ways of the Force, and I couldn't be happier for her.

**End Log…**

- - -

**Author's Notes: ** Entry 2 will probably be up within a few hours. I hope those who read this enjoyed it, if you like Shaak Ti then stay tuned, if you like the Old Republic and tales of the old Jedi Order, stay tuned. If you like ME … Well, you probably have some emotional issues that you need to work out and I probably have some lawyer's I need to see about restraining orders. 

Review. Tell me your thoughts! I'm happy to hear them. 

_**Note:** All Flames will be ignored and or extinguished by an army of Yoda's with squirt guns._


	2. Entry 2

A

A.N.: Welcome to entry 2. If you're here to read more about Shaak Ti good for you! I'm proud of you! If you're here because you clicked on the wrong link, stay and read anyway!

- - -

**Logging in…  
Welcome Shaak Ti**

Entry #2

Fe Sun was sent on her first assignment as a knight today. She came to me for reassurance before she left. She's been tasked with a negotiations dispute between the Trade Federation and the Commerce Guild. She came to me asking what I would do if it were me being sent on the assignment. Of course, it is a simple mission, letting her wet her feet so to speak, before she is given a truly augurious task to begin her path as a Jedi Knight, but she was nervous and so I told her the truth.

"If it were me, I would go knowing that in the big scheme of things such a minor dispute of who controls a trade route is truly nothing worth hostility over, but with that knowledge that to the Federation and the Commerce Guild this is far more than just a simple trade dispute, this is a matter of livelihood. To them this trade line is like a vein, pumping blood to the heart of their business. It is something of great importance to them, and as such must be of great importance to you in order for you to be able to connect and negotiate between both parties."

She smiled at me with that same reassured look and confident gleam that I so often saw before she entered sparring tournament during her apprentice ship to me when she was just a young girl. She will do fine I know, there is no doubt there.

I watched her shuttle depart for the meeting location and then headed toward the sparring chambers. I had agreed to participate in a training class with Master Gallia. She is a fine swordsman, but our preferred saber styles vary greatly and she desired to let her students see how different a fight can be if the combatants do not have the same combat style.

Master Gallia is quite skilled in the third and fourth forms of saber combat, an excellent combatant, particularly when faced with opponents using modern blasters, however she would be the first to admit that when put face to face with another saber wielder her skills would be lacking in battle.

As a Togruta, I have a hollow space in my montrals which give ultrasonic signals allowing me to sense the positioning and movement of others around me for a good ten meters. This combined with my training in the Jedi arts has made me excel in multiple forms of combat with and without a saber, though I much prefer to negotiate a peaceful resolution rather than resolve differences with violence. Nevertheless I have taken measures to study both the second and third forms of lightsaber combat thoroughly, in conjunction with the first form that all jedi practice before reaching apprenticeship.

This puts me at a significant advantage in combat situations, particularly when facing a single opponent, as my unique sensing ability allows me to recognize how my opponent will move before they even have a chance to complete the maneuver.

This was exactly what Master Gallia wished to show her students, how combat style and the very species of the opponent can significantly turn the battle for or against you. I have a significant advantage in most combat situations, and I have made it a goal to pin point my own weaknesses and disadvantages.

Master Windu once said I had the fastest reaction time of any Jedi in combat, once again, thanks to my ability to sense the vibrations and movements of people around me. Because of his words I realized one of my greatest weaknesses is my montrals. If they were removed in battle I would lose almost all of my precognative abilities, this weakness aside the only other way for anyone to truly ever gain an advantage over me would be to catch me while my guard was down, in the refresher, sleeping, or meditating. The chances of any of those happening inside the temple is completely implausible, and I always keep my saber with me whenever I do any of the above outside of the temple. A Jedi is only as strong as their limitations allow, I have done my best to ensure that my limitations allow me great strength. Still, no Jedi lives forever…

Though in the case of master Yoda sometimes I wonder.

**End Log…**

- - -

A.N. : Eight more days till the theater release of ROTS! PARTY!!


	3. Entry 3

**Logging in…  
Welcome Shaak Ti**

Entry #3

It's been nearly a week since my last entry… I just can't believe it… How can this be…? It was only her fourth mission… She was so good, so smart, so fast… How could she be taken in so easily… And now she's gone.

It was an easy mission, Master Windu himself assured me of it, I had a feeling something wasn't right about it. I went to him with my worries knowing he could help me be rid of them. When I left the meditation chamber after talking to him I knew she'd be fine… How could we have been so blind…?

The mission was an easy one, there was a suspected smuggling operation going on out of a Space Repair Station in the mid-rim, a republic police team had been monitoring it for months with no success, but with enough evidence to warrant a jedi infiltration. It sounded like the ideal mission for Fe Sun to test her skills on.

It turned out to be a far larger and more intricate operation than expected… It was to much for such a young knight, she called in for back up, she reported fears that her cover might have been exposed somehow, though she didn't say what led her to this suspicion, Seer Fais and her young apprentice Eth Mar were sent to assist her or extract her if need be. I wanted to go, but the council deemed that my status as her former master might cloud my judgment of the overall situation if I were to preoccupied worrying for her…

Oh how I wish I'd pressed it now… I would have gotten there sooner, I would might have arrived before it was to late… No… No I wouldn't. I shouldn't be angry with the council or with Seer and her Padawan, it is no one's fault but my own… There must have been a failure on my part that left her unprepared what she encountered. 

She was dead before they even arrived, shot at close range… Somehow her opponent got close, and she didn't have the time to get to her lightsaber, or didn't sense her killer's intent. It is no ones fault but my own. I always pressed myself to be prepared for any situation, but I must not have pressed that logic upon her hard enough… She wasn't ready for the mission, and now it's cost her everything…

I went to my refresher hoping maybe a shower might wash away the feeling of failure away… I don't even know how long I was in there, I remember stepping in, then collapsing against the wall… Jedi are not supposed to feel such emotion, but she was the closest I ever had to a family...

I just can't believe I lost them both, and both so shortly after their graduation to knighthood. This is my final student. I simply am not fit to train one through an entire apprenticeship. Both of my students have passed through their training only to fall within weeks of knight hood. 

I just am not qualified to be a one on one teacher… I don't know where I failed them both, but I did, and that is something that cannot be forgotten… I will not take another Padawan.

**End Log.**


	4. Entry 4

Author's Notes: Hello! Sorry it's taken me awhile to update. I had to go see Return of the Sith twice. 

I am proud to report that Shaak Ti is NOT shown dying in the movie! Which means unless I see a body, IN a movie I am free to believe that she escaped the Jedi Purge. And no I don't give a flying rats ass what the script said or Lego StarWars the video game shows, those are NOT canon. Canon is the movie, and only the movie, a script is always subject to change, until I see her decapitated corpse on the floor in a remake of ROTS special edition I do not accept her as dead.

As such this gives me a lot more room with these stories!  You can expect to see many many more coming as I adore this character. -

- - -

**Logging in…  
Welcome Shaak Ti**

Entry #4

I shared my opinion on padawan to master training with Master Yoda. He disagrees with my refusal to accept a third padawan but did accept that I needed time before even considering the idea. 

For now I am back on active duty for assignments, as well as training in saber combat with younglings learning the basics of the first and second forms, Shii-Choo and Makashi. 

I've also begun retraining myself, if I failed my padawan's then I in turn failed myself. I must retrain myself in the Jedi Arts and expose whatever weakness or flaw it was that I passed onto them to allow them to fall so quickly…

As we speak I am enroute to a diplomatic negotiation between the CorSec forces and the Trade Federation. CorSec have made multiple accusations of aggressive action against their space patrols by Trade Federation droid fighters that escort the federation's market ships through the Corellian trade sector.

Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi were sent with me. Qui-Gon and I often work together on diplomacy missions such as this, but his apprentice is still very young and head strong… He has much to learn about diplomacy and acceptance of cultures, he seems to have a tendency to consider anything unfamiliar to him to be lesser than him, though of course many jedi are that way when they are young; still with their minds set for adventure and excitement on far off worlds.

I spent a few hours today talking with Qui-Gon about my experiences teaching Padawans. His own first Padawan, Xanatos, fell to the dark side of the force and Qui-Gon, like me, didn't believe he would ever train another apprentice… He moved past his hesitations to train again… I do hope I can find the fly in my teachings so that I might feel secure enough to train another padawan.

I spent another few hours reading over the reports CorSec have filed about claims of federation attacks on their ships. I must admit the evidence is convincing, scorch marks and damage that links to the blaster style use by the federations vulture droid star fighter escort ships. It doesn't make sense however. The Trade Federation has no reason to attack CorSec ships. I pointed this out to Master Jinn and his padawan made a rather deductive observation. It could be possible that the trade federation is being framed. That perhaps Corellian pirate rings are hijacking vulture droids and sending them against CorSec fighters to be a diversion during smuggling runs. This would serve them well as it would make the CorSec force distracted with worries of the federation and let the smugglers move their illegal goods quite easily through the system which is normally protected very well. 

But surely smugglers would have known that a dispute such as this would warrant the attention of the Order. I believe there is much more to this conflict than meets the eye. I find myself now thinking if Saesee Tiin or Adi Gallia should not have come along as well as a fighter escort, both are exceptional pilots and if the Federation is indeed attacking CorSec vessels we may wish we had them along for this mission.

**End Log…**

- - -

A. N. Sorry it took so long to get this one posted. A lot of things came up ; ROTS… And Publish 17 of SWG, Multi-person vehicles yay!  
Part 5 will be up soon as now I finally know how to continue this:D


	5. Entry 5

A.N. Whew! Okay so I got side tracked a lot recently… First with Batman Begins coming out, man that's a damned good movie there. If you like my writing style and like Batman I've recently written two batman fanfics, check my story listings and give 'em a read. Then there were a lot of updates to StarWars Galaxies that I had to give a whirl… And a lot of fanfiction about my SWG character that I ended up posting in my guilds forums… Anyway, I'm back to work on this story once more now! .

- - -

**Logging in…  
Welcome Shaak Ti**

Entry #5

We've been on Corellia for four days now. There is substantial evidence to suggest federation fighters attacked multiple CorSec patrols, however the Federation was able to counter this. They had video evidence of CorSec fighters initiating an attack on Federation trade ships. I don't know how Qui-Gon does it, but as usual he's managed to make friends of half the Cantina of the city we're residing in. Apparently "over a few drinks" as he put it, a Drall informed him that there is a Pirate group operating off of Corellia's moon, Talus; that has been having frequent face offs with CorSec patrols. He and his Padawan headed to Talus to investigate on the pirate group, which left me with the task of speaking with the CorSec commissioner. There are times when even a Jedi's patience can be pushed straight to the limits.

The man was such a pompous, arrogant, sexist… Well, needless to say I don't think he will be very helpful in our investigation, at least not if I'm the one he's talking too. I must admit I was quite tempted to make him admit all his insecurities to me through force trick. Crude I know, but it would be nice to have been able to wipe that smug look off his face. The Nemodians were more tolerable. Ever since the recent assassination of the other heads of the Trade Federation the Nemodians have taken over complete control. They are a timid people, but they are shrewd, and they know how to conduct business quite well. Viceroy Gunray isn't the brightest sentient but he knows enough to not wish to stir up trouble with Corellian security. He insists that he knows nothing about the attacks. He suggested that perhaps some other group was using Droid Starfighters and trying to pin the blame on the Federation this is quite possible and is one of the things Qui-Gon is looking into while investigating the pirates. They may be trying to use the Federation as a scape goat while they get rid of the CorSec squadrons interfering with their smuggling operations. I'm beginning to think this is bigger than everything we've seen so far… It seems to brazen for the Federation, yet I can't see how a mere group of space pirates could

**Journal Idle – Inactive User**

**Journal Reactivated. Entry 5 Continued – 22 minutes inactive.**

That incompetent fool! Qui-Gon and Padawan Kenobi have loss comm signs with the CorSec channel they were broadcasting on. The commissioner came to report it to me after he "had to shut down the comm line briefly for maintenance" He didn't deem it important enough to tell me, or Qui-Gon over the comm, that he was shutting it down, and now the comm hails to both Master Jinn and Obi-Wan's comms are going unanswered.

I have no choice but to investigate their disappearance, I'll have to send a report to the council while enroute to Talus... At last comm check Qui-Gon said he had manage dot arranged a meeting with one of the pirate Captains in the Cantina of a small Talusian city called Dearic.

I will use this journal as an account of my mission from this point on, incase something should go wrong. I told Qui-Gon to always keep the emergency line on our comms open no matter what the situation, that line is now dead as well… There are very few situations where I would fear for Qui-Gon's safety, he can make light of the most desperate straits, however even he isn't safe alone and surrounded by desperate fugitives. 

**End Log**

- - -

Author's Note: Please do forgive the lateness of this post. School startin' up next week so it may take awhile to update from here on out but I'm hoping having a story like this to work on may just keep me sane through the school year, so expect to see more of it! 


	6. Entry 6

**Author's Notes: **First off! Kudos and Thanks for all the support for this story! Glad to see people like it so much and I'm so VERY sorry it's taken so long, I've been bogged down with everything from exams to family emergencies lately.

A side note, I recently got a review thanking me for delving into an EU character; and it's not the first time I've seen someone mistake Shaak for being purely an EU char.

Let me assure you she is not. She's seen multiple times throughout Episode II; and was originally planned to have a major fight scene with General Grievous at the very start of Episode III, unfortunately this got cut out because it was deemed that it was "dragging on the intro to long" according to Lucas Films; as did one of her intended death scenes, which you can see in the Deleted Scenes of the Episode III DVD; but even THAT is a shortened version of her death scene as it was written in the script. Poor Shaak, no love for the George-ness (

_**NOTICE! **I have decided to start including third person scenes. This means the series will now alternate between a narrative, and Shaak Ti's own personal thoughts with in her journal. When entering the Narrative I will notify with an italic narration showing._  
If anyone has any questions about Shaak's involvement in the StarWars time line, let me know in there review and I'll post some more about her. For now! On with Entry 6!

- - -  
**  
Logging In…  
Welcome Shaak Ti**

Entry #6

My shuttle has reached Talus and I've still been unable to contact Master Jinn or his Padawan. It is not like Qui-Gon to go this long without making some sort of report, even a single clipped sentence transmitted quickly over the comm-line. I suspect he has either had his comm taken from him, or lost it in some manner.

I'm heading to the Dearic Cantina now in hope of finding something of a hint to what may have transpired before I arrived. 

- - -

_The following is a transcription of what happened between Jedi Master Shaak Ti and the Dearic Cantina Bar Keeper. _

"Excuse me?" The cloaked Togruta queried in order to catch the bar keep's attention as she walked up to the counter.

"Eh? What can I get for ya miss?" The bar keep said, glancing up as he continued cleaning a glass.

"Nothing, thank you; but I'm looking for someone, a friend I was supposed to meet here, he's human about 6 foot." She replied, leaning on the bar top now, fixing her large black eyes on the bar tender. 

The tender squirmed slightly, his gaze flitting around, it was a Togruta trick, almost as good as a force mind trick but without the effort involved, those big wet eyes of hers looked so completely innocent and sweet that it was hard to even meet her gaze; like looking at someone who knows all of your Sins and can see your very soul. 

"Er... Listen lady alotta humans come in here, after awhile they all look alike ya know?" He said, setting the glass down.

He knew something, she could sense it. "You'd remember this one,' she continued, 'long hair, beard, in the company of a boy, around 16 or so."

"Well…" He frowned faintly.

"Yes?" She pressed, looking him eye to eye.

"Yeah, I saw him… But he was with Bucky Meran." The tender said, his tone seeming to imply that this was a very bad thing.

"Bucky Meran?" She tilted her head, her head-tails twitching.

"Eh... Yeah, he's the big man around here… Run a… Business of sorts, out of an old mining facility near here. If you're 'friend' knows Meran, he's not the sort of guy ya wanna stay friend's with, and they sure looked pretty chummy leavin' here."

Shaak Ti's left lekku curled a little bit. "He left with Meran?"

"Yeah, him and the kid. All looked real cozy too… Gave off a weird vibe actually…"

"Where is this facility?" Shaak Ti interrupted.

"Eh? Listen doll you really don't wanna go there, I've seen a Wookiee bounty hunter go in there and never come out." He said, shaking his head and lifting a hand in warning. 

Shaak Ti smiled faintly, a giving a seemingly dismissive wave of her hand. "You can tell me where the facility is."

"I can tell you where the Facility is…" The bar keep said suddenly, looking a little disoriented. "Its south east of town, about 48 miles or so, could make it there pretty quick if you've got a good swoop or speeder bike."

"Thank you." Shaak Ti replied with a smile, giving a faint bow of her head. "Here's something for your trouble." She stated as she passed him a 5 credit chip and turned, heading back out of the bar.

- - -

**Journal Reactivated. Entry 6 Continued.**

I left the recorder for my journal on while speaking with the proprietor of the local cantina. He has told me that Master Jinn and Padawan Kenobi left with one Bucky Meran, the local pirate leader. A facility roughly 48 miles south east of Dearic is the place he and his gang call home. I am now heading to the location to find Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan; I hope to be able to negotiate a peaceful release, with any luck I'll be able to avoid any aggressive negotiations.   
**  
Journal Idle – Inactive User – 38 minutes inactive.  
**  
I have entered the base successfully, the guards at the door were easy enough to persuade into allowing me admittance, they won't be awake for a few hours. I've so far made it through the first level of the facility with no signs of activity at all, the facility itself seems rather run down, but the lighting has been kept up to date for the most part, a few flickering bulbs so far and no sign or sound of droids or active machinery. As cliché as it sounds, it's quiet… To quiet.

**Journal Idle – Inactive User – 17 minutes inactive.**

I seem to have located the holding facility, it smells retched down here, and what's worse it's a stench I'm sorry to say I know, reminiscent of the holds of the slave ships the Republic captures, a foul mix of waste, sweat, and corpse rot. It's enough to make me want to retch, if Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are down here I fear they may be in mortal danger.

- - -

_ Inside the Pirate Prison Hall_

Shaak Ti had just finished adding this next entry when she heard the clip of boots upon the floor. Deactivating her journal she ducked behind an old power generator, her right hand resting upon her saber hilt, kneeling down slightly as she let herself since the motions around her through the innate ability of her species. Two humanoids, walking down the hall, from the way they moved she could determine they were armed with heavy weaponry, most likely blaster rifles… 'Large fire arms for slumming pirates' she thought to herself as she waited for them to pass the generator, soon they had done so their backs to her now as they continued down the hall. She watched as the continued onward and disappeared around the corner. Waiting and continuing to sense their movements till she could be certain they were far enough away she slid out from behind the generator, heading down the hall checking the old storage rooms, which had been re-fitted as prison cells, looking in each one by one for any sign of her comrades.

"Shaak Ti?"

The Togrutian jedi froze, looking around. She knew that voice… "Qui-Gon?"

"Up here Master!" Obi-Wan's voice now echoed from above.

She looked up, her eyes widening in surprise at the sight of Qui-Gon Jinn and his padawan in the ventilation shaft above her, grinning down at her through the grating.

"What are you doing up there!" She cried in a hushed tone.

"Up here? What are you doing down there?" Qui-Gon countered, unhinging the grate and extending a hand down, grabbing hold of her own outstretched hand and tugging her up into the air duct. "We let slip that we were Jedi, under the hope they'd lock us away for a hefty hostage ransom rather than just shoot us, it paid off." He said with a charismatic smile. 

"Oh yes and if they'd shot you? You can't get out of this one Qui-Gon the council is NOT going to be pleased…" Shaak Ti replied, shaking her head.

"I told you." Obi-Wan said, giving a surprisingly mature look of disapproval toward his master.

"Yes well, while you two debate ethics how about we go to our friend Captain Meran's quarters and see if we can't learn a little something while they're still deceived into thinking we're nice and tight in one of their cells." Qui-Gon replied, still with that maverick grin upon his face as the three jedi crept through the air ducts.

- - -  
**  
Journal Reactivated. Entry 6 Continued.**

The information we learned at Meran's base was extremely useful, though I disagree with Master Jinn's tactics as far as infiltrating the facility went, I must admit that had we simply questioned the pirates it probably would have been much more difficult. 

It seems that an anonymous source has been selling old 'scrap heap' vulture droids to the pirates, which they have been using to exploit the trade federation and CorSec so that they could go about their illegal affairs unhindered. Meran himself does not seem to be aware of whom the seller is, but he seemed quite shaken while speaking with him. Whoever it is I suspect he may hold a great deal of power, perhaps a larger pirate ring lead or one of the Hutt Cartel bosses. 

It's too late to assume any thing, for now we are returning to Corellia, I will be making a call to the council in the morning to update them on our situation and seek their advice on how to proceed.

**End Log**

- - -****

Author's Note. 

That's all for this one. I'll have the next up as soon as possible, but when that will be I can't say. I'm starting on it now though so it might be within the next week or so!


	7. Entry 7

**Author's Note: **Before I start let me give one special shout out to **CodeLyoko** for reviewing so often and letting me know this story really is appreciated by at least one avid fan:-)****

Logging In…  
Welcome Shaak Ti

Entry #7

I have contacted the Jedi Council. Master Windu and Master Koon shed a great deal of light on our situation, it seems that there is growing call for a new Trade Tax in the mid and outer rims, spearheaded by Senator Palpatine. This would hamper many of the Trade Federations current trade routes and could vastly affect their over all profit margin. With the stress the Federation must be under with the rise of this new tax, it is not beyond reason that a member of the Federation could be smuggling ships to pirate groups in order to bring in larger profit for himself incase the Federation crumbles. 

Even worse, with the new Neimodian Vice Roy Nute Gunray in charge of the Federation, the organization has become bloated by it's normally massive profit margins, and it's vessels, allegedly equipped for defense against the pirates in the outer rim sectors, are sizable enough to pose threat to the Republic itself should the Federation be to greatly provoked by this new tax raise. Master Koon says that with the Neimodian's in charge such an act will not occur, he says that they are far to cowardly and greedy to risk their company and their lives in such a desperate act. Never the less, Master Windu has urged us to bring down the pirate Captain Bucky Meran and his gang, and determine the source of their ill gotten Federation droids. 

I also informed them of Master Jinn's choice of information gathering… Plo Koon laughed. Master Windu simply shook his head and murmured something I believe to have been 'at least he didn't blow something up'. I now can't help but wonder just how often Qui-Gon actually performs shenanigans like this. For all his short comings though, Qui-Gon is raising an excellent pupil. Obi-Wan is one of the finest Padawan's I've ever had the pleasure of going on a mission with and yet again Qui-Gon has surprised me. He's determined that the ventilation shaft we were in during our first 'visit' to the old mining facility actually opens up above ground outside the facility. As of this moment it is our intended point of entry. We intend to slip into Meran's quarters unnoticed, as the old adage goes "remove the head and the best shall fall". Once we have Meran the rest of the gang will most likely attempt to flee from the facility and walk right into the arms of waiting CorSec officials.

There's the door, Qui-Gon must be ready to go. May The Force Be With Us.

**End Log.**

_The Infiltration of the Talusian Mining Facility. _

Shaak Ti's montrals quivered slightly as she and the two humans moved quietly through the facility. Qui-Gon had dispatched to guards that had caught them with a force suggestion of sudden sleep, leaving them completely incapacitated. Aside from that nothing had gone wrong thus far. Shaak now moved slowly through the hall ways, sensing every movement and vibration within the old factory, she could sense several men through the wall in a common room across from them but they all were fairly stable, most likely watching the Holo-Net. 

"We're almost there…" Qui-Gon whispered looking around once more, holding his saber in one hand and making sure his Padawan stayed right behind him while Master Ti led them through the corridors. "This is it!" He said quietly as they came to a stop outside the door to Meran's quarters, the last time they'd been here they'd been in the venting in the wall behind his bed listening to a holo-comm conversation with a raspy voiced individual they'd been unable to see from inside the aid ducts. 

Shaak steady herself, reaching out with her species natural sense and the force as well. Her eyes opened suddenly. "Something's wrong…" 

"Wrong? What do you mean wrong? What is it?" Obi-Wan asked, looking around hesitantly now, gripping his own saber hilt tightly in his hand.

"You're right, I feel it also…" Qui-Gon replied to Shaak Ti's statement.

The tell tale _snap-HISS_ of a lightsaber activating was a sound one never forgot after the first time they heard it but at that moment it caused Obi-Wan to jump as Qui-Gon's emerald green blade plunged into the lock of Meran's quarters forcing the door open as the locking mechanism failed.

"Rather over dramatic don't you th-" Shaak Ti trailed off as she stared at the Pirate Captain. 

Bucky Meran was slumped over his desk, without a single ripple generated in the force from his body. He was dead, most likely had been for at least half an hour.

Shaak Ti's own sapphire hued saber blazed to life along with Obi-Wan's as all three Jedi moved into the room. The young Padawan immediately seized a look out's position watching the Corridor as Shaak Ti's large black eyes looked questioningly around the room for clues and Qui-Gon deactivated his saber, moving to Meran to examine him.

"I don't see any sign of what killed him… there's no blood, no blaster burns…" Qui-Gon said, his tone now hushed as he pulled Meran back to look at his front. "Shaak Ti!" He said suddenly. "Look!"

The Togrutian jedi quickly made her way over toward Meran's desk, from where she'd been expecting his book shelf across the room, but before she could reach it she froze. Her horn like montrals upon her head trembled, her eyes reached the widest they had since first seeing Meran's body.

"Master Ti…?" Obi-Wan said, looking at her.

"We have to leave! NOW!" She shouted, shoving the desk aside with the force to emphasize just why she held such urgency. Underneath it lay a perfectly placed proton time bomb, ticking rapidly down with only a minute left before it went off.

- - -

**Author's Note: ** Agony, thy name is cliff hanger! )  
Don't worry Lyoko I already know where I'm taking Entry 8 It'll be up soon enough


	8. Entry 8

**Logging In…  
Welcome Shaak Ti**

Entry #8

I still marvel at the fact that we even made it out. The bomb placed in Meran's quarters had barely more than 50 seconds left upon it when we began to flee. We made as much noise as we could trying to lead the gang members out of the base, I regret to say that little more than half made it out, and even less got far enough away to avoid the backlash of the explosion. 

Those that aren't in Bacta Tanks couldn't even tell us anything, they don't know who killed Meran or why. The one thing we do know is that a new deliver of federation equipment had arrived and the deliverer asked to speak directly to Meran. I fear Qui-Gon may have received a concussion from debris as we fled the flames of the explosion for he insists that he saw a lightsaber wound in the center of Meran's chest.

Both his padawan and I have told him the idea is preposterous, after all there hasn't been a rogue jedi loose in the Galaxy for almost a decade; he is most insistent that it was a lightsaber wound that he saw however. Sometimes I think his mind works only upon conjecture and conspiracy regardless of facts or logic. That said, it is a very mysterious state of affairs. CorSec arson specialists went over the remains of the facility and could not find a trace of any federation products within the facility, everything had been removed, meaning we have no evidence to give the Federation to show them that both they and the Corellian militia were being deceived. 

Much as I hate to say it, this mission is a failure, even as I write this we are returning home to Coruscant, with no leads, no clues, no information to be of help to continue the investigation besides Qui-Gon's dogged determination about what he saw. Perhaps I'm simply doomed to failures now, my padawans and now my missions… No. Master Yoda would smack me with his cane if he knew I'd thought that… It will be good to be home again, maybe my next assignment will turn out more promising…

**End Log.**

- - -

**_Author's Note _**

It might take me a bit to think up where to go from here, I may time skip ahead a little.  
ALSO! I am an inspirable writer! If anyone ever my loyal readers has a request for the story, a character they'd like me to include in a chapter or story line, a particular scene, or anything else you're welcome to make requests!  
(The first person who asks me for a Shaak Ti Lemon will be wounded severely. Not because I'm against it but because they're not allowed on this site and I'm a stickler for the rules! )


	9. Entry 9

**Author's Note_  
_**So I finally figured out what I'd do for chapter 9, the classic StarWars tradition, of entertaining force sensitive children :P   
However, I got some interesting comments from Lyoko and Alicia, so, since I unfortunately can't reply directly on a review, I'm going to do so here. )

**CodeLyoko: **_Hm... a little short I might add... but otherwise good. I might have a good carrie for you to use. A born-to-be sith or dark Jedi if you must ask. You can use her if you want._

Yes, Chapter 8 was rather short I must admit, but I really couldn't add anymore to it than I already had, there just wasn't a lot to say for it, and you have to remember for the most part, these are diary entries rather than narrative stories, sometimes when you're writing out your day or the like you go into a lot of details, other times (such as when you're tired after having to outrun the timer upon a bomb and having a rather poor mission) you just don't have the gumption for long entries.

**Alicia: **_Have you seen Episode 3? Well on the second disc there is quit a disturbing scene that has Shaak Ti on the Invisible Hand. Quite scary in my opinion.__****_

I have indeed seen that scene, I was more disappointed in it that disturbed. I mean, here they are, they just watched the LEADER OF THE DROID ARMIES impale a Jedi master who is on the darn COUNCIL and five seconds later they're joking around and making whacky hand signals in order to suggest ideas to one another?  
And Anakin Skywalker, king of anger, impromptu actions, and angst, just says "that was a mistake"? Come on, this is the soon-to-be Darth Vader we're talking about.  
The actually SCRIPT for the scene was much better than the deleted scene itself, originally that part of the scene went something like this.

_(Shaak Ti yelps in pain as Grievous impales her)  
Anakin: NOOOO! (Skywalker lunges forward, saber blazing to life)  
Kenobi: ANAKIN NO! (Ben grabs Skywalker by the arm, yanking him back) Not here! There are to many of them!  
(Grievous gives a cold laugh of amusement)_

Now read that. Now go back and watch that part of the deleted scene again.  
See the difference?  
I honestly wasn't very impressed with Episode III on the whole, I felt most of the Death scenes for all the characters were way too rushed. Lucas didn't even have scenes showing the Jedi fighting back against the clones, they basically all just seemed to lay down and die.

Thanks for the idea about Yoda's visit Alicia, I'd actually planned to do that already, though I don't know if she'll be getting the info on her second padawan's assassin just yet; have to wait and see.

**_FINAL NOTE!_  
**I'm sure all Shaak Ti fans will be glad to here this. According to the Official statement upon Shaak Ti she is ALIVE. That's right, she survives Order 66, in the EU she dies at Anakin's hand, but currently both that scene and the deleted scene have been classified as "what if" situations. At this time, Canon wise, there is no official statement on what exactly happened to Master Ti during Order 66.  
In this regard I'm planning to write my idea of how Shaak Ti escaped Order 66.**_  
_  
Logging in…  
Welcome Shaak Ti**

Entry #9

Force be praised that this day is over! Yoda… Master Yoda and Master Windu were called to an all day meeting with Chancellor Valorum, and as I have been "moping" to quote Master Yoda's words, he deemed that a day of teaching his younglings in the bear clan was just what I needed.

I have faced a dozen Gamorrean warriors in a hutt gangster's arena fight in order to infiltrate his facility, I have faced a rogue jedi mad man determined to blow up the halls of the Republic Senate, and I out ran a ticking time bomb only a few days ago, and none of it can compare to the exhaustion I feel tonight. Every single muscle in my body is throbbing, I'm STILL in the process of icing down my rear head-tail and for a short while I thought I'd sprained my ankle, and it all started this morning simply by saying that I was 'filling in'. I will never EVER make such a mistake in front of younglings again, if I'd known as I said the words all 12 of them gained the most mischievous gleam I've ever seen in the eyes of children. Sweet unassuming woman that I am I didn't really consider the ramifications of that look they all shared.

It started when I had to step out to the refresher for a moment. I came back to find that they'd all swiveled their chairs around to face the back side of our class room, and all of them looking as calm and normal as if this was perfectly acceptable and nothing out of the ordinary. I must admit, this first little prank was clever and amusing to me, I laughed, I had them switch their seats back to face the front and we began out first lesson of the day, art. The lesson plan called for each child to be given three colors, and be told they were to craft a picture upon paper using the paint, the force, and no physical contact. Of course, this I knew, just as Yoda had, would lead to trouble; he'd been kind enough to note on the lesson plan he gave me "_Always wear smock._" 

So it was that our art lesson began. I think it took them perhaps all of 5 standard galactic minutes to have myself, on another, and the entire class room covered in every color imaginable. I still have green paint under my nails as I record this. I had to post pone our galactic history lesson so that I could get the younglings and myself cleaned up, then we had to transfer to a spare classroom while the cleaning droids mopped up all the paint on Bear Clan's usual room. The younglings found it all most amusing, I on the other hand was beginning to grasp the horror of what I'd been tasked with. By the time we'd change class rooms it was time to break for lunch. We went to the temple dining hall for this… The look on Qui-Gon's face. He's taught the younglings a few times himself. He looked quite amused upon seeing my multicolored finger nails as I finally wrangled all the younglings to their table and managed to get them to stop giggling and chattering long enough to eat their food.

"Having fun Shaak?" he asked me, praise the force for the patience of a Jedi for so help me I did want to slap him; I opted instead to simply ignore him. Then he said "They can be a handful…" this I had to retort to, I looked to him ready to demand what he would suggest, and as soon as I'd made eye contact he finished with "of joy!" 

I think he just loved knowing I didn't dare raise my voice to him in front of the younglings or the elders in the dining hall eating. He joined Micah Giett and Plo Koon; who never did eat anywhere but in his own special atmospheric chamber, but enjoyed spending the lunch hour with his companions at a table not far from where the younglings were eating. Micah had a grin as irritating to me as Qui-Gon's; and while I've never been able to distinguish what the various sounds a Kel Dor can make are, I'm positive the sound I heard from Master Koon was laughter.

When we returned to the class room I finally had a chance to gain their attention thoroughly. Saber defense training. It started off well, ten minutes in Jain Vey was saying that Mar-Ti-Ki behind her was poking her with his training saber. I told him to take his training seriously and apologize, he did so, we continued with blaster deflection work. Another ten minutes and I began to hear a small voice saying "quit it!" every half a minute or so. This time it was TiJak Meer and Akeeri, two young boys who Master Yoda often brought up when sharing stories of his younglings in the Bear Clan, they were bright, clever, very skilled with the force, and has a love of tricks and hi-jinx much like a certain maverick bearded Jedi I've been paired up with so recently…

I looked over at them with a silencing gaze and they quieted but after another five minutes or so I began to hear the pleas of "quit it" once more. Finally I decided it was time for a little demonstration, the younglings were always eager to see masters in action, it didn't take a Bith to figure out a way to catch their attention for the rest of the lesson.

"Am I boring you, little ones?" I asked, looking directly at the two now just as TiJak was about kick Akeeri in the leg again.

"No Master Ti!" They both piped in unison.

"Well I must be if you're so intent to amuse yourselves through other means rather than learn such vital skills… Perhaps you all would like a demonstration of just what you'll be able to do if you bothered to do any studying?" That did it. I had every eye in the room on me now.

A generic training saber does not have the feel of ones own saber, a jedi's lightsaber is their life, the hilt is built by hand personally in order to have a direct link to the Jedi's personality, but for a demonstration such as this the training saber I was using in my lesson would do nicely. I spun it in my hand for a moment, the pink hued training crystal catching every younglings gaze, making sure they were all watching before I began.

It is tradition that every master has a Kata, a training regime, a series of movements that they do every morning when they rise, and every evening before slumber. When you begin you only have two movements, the next day you add a third, and each day you add another till such time as your can sense that your Kata is complete. It is both a way to hone your saber skills, but also a form of combat meditation, eventually you learn the steps so fluidly that you could do it with your eyes closed. Every Jedi's is different, and it changes as well for every species. My own Kata involves a great deal of sensatory ability, my body becomes as much a part of the motions as my saber does.

I began by bowing down onto my knees, I could sense the children's confusion, I had my saber activated yet looks as if about to meditate; in unison they all drew a gasp of surprise as I leapt up, flipping through the air and landing behind them, giving two quick horizontal swipes from left and right angles before spinning the saber in my hand and stabbing it backwards in an impaling movement into the air behind me. I leapt forward and over them all once more, snapping first my left and then my right leg through the air in a double kick followed by spinning my entire body so that my saber slashed forward like a buzz saw, landing with one knee to the ground, sweeping my bent leg out in an ankle sweep before spinning into a twirling upwards leap which brought the blade of my saber around like a cyclone, snapping it down as I landed so that the thrumming tip past only a foot from the front row of youngling's faces, my cloak following the swooping movement before I came full circle, stopping with my saber clasped in both hands in front of my face while my cloak once more came to rest around me, gently swaying from the movement.

I suppressed the grin that was tempted to come fourth as I realized that every one of my young charges was holding his or her breath. When I clicked the deactivation button on my saber they all seemed to exhale in unison, wide eyed and staring.

"… That was amazing!" a young twi'lek girl in the back sudden exclaimed.

It was the most innocent smile I've ever seen, such a sweet young face, the look on her face is enough to make me think that the strain of the day may actually have been worth it after all. I had no more troubles during saber training… Of course, when it came time for meditation it was quite difficult to persuade them to all settle down enough, and they wouldn't until the point when one of them stepped on my back lekku and caused me to yelp loud enough to make them all freeze in place. I suppose of course it may have also been the pulse of emotional energy that snapped out at the pain that shot through me that caused them to stop squirming like gurrcat cubs trying to get to a new mother's teat.

Then came hand-to-hand training, one of them got knocked back into my by another while I was busy instructing two more, I tripped fell, and for a minute could've sworn I'd broken my leg, as it stands now I believe I've simply torn tissue in the muscles of my right foot.

I will not say that it was an unpleasant experience, but it is certainly not something I would be keen to do very often. Master Yoda however seemed almost… Pleased. The little twinkle in his eye, I hate to admit but; I can understand why too. It was painful, it was irritating, and it was even annoying at times, but the moments when they were obedient, and did take heed of what I said were more rewarding than all the pains of the day; and even at this moment I still see that twi'lek girls smile clear as if she were standing right before me.

Maybe it wasn't so bad a day after all…

**End Log.**

- - -

Author's Note:  
I will be titling Shaak's Order 66 story Order 66 – Shaak Ti's Fate I'll have it up as soon as possible, and will put a link to it into this story once it's written and posted so keep an eye out! )


	10. Entry 10

**Author's Note **

_-The Imperial March Plays-_

A cloaked figure descends from a lambda shuttle. His robes get caught on a loose bolt and rip. He curses and smacks the shuttle ramp with a gnarled cane.

Damn frakkin' sith robes aren't worth the trouble.  
GREETINGS! You all hate me for taking so obscenely long to update, so I won't stay long enough for you to throw tomatoes and Bantha poodoo at me, here's entry 10! ENJOY!

- - - -

**Logging in…  
Welcome Shaak Ti**

Entry #10

I have accepted a new off world assignment. Approximately 5 standard days ago a small transport vessel containing Jedi Knight Masha Niet and her Padawan Makai Ioe disappeared from all republic contact. They were enroot to settle a territorial dispute between two native populations of the mid-rim world of Baradui. There vessel suddenly went out of contact after one standard day from departure here on Coruscant. I have been asked to follow the path there ship had set and, if possible, rescue Masha and Makai. I am currently in hyperspace on board a Corellian cruiser, not the most ideal thing for speed but considering that Masha and Makai's vessel may have been destroyed if they crash landed, I will need the space of a transport in order to get us all back to Coruscant safely.

There are only a few places along this route that could have caused them trouble so tracking down the vessel won't be difficult. I should reach the first drop point within the next few hours. There were only three points where they had to drop out of Hyperspace, and only those three points could feasibly incur the possibility of a crash or the destruction of their ship.

**Journal Idle – Inactive User**

**Journal Reactivated. Entry 10 Continued – 1 hour and 47 minutes inactive.**

I have reached the Lurok Asteroid field, it is a dangerous area for ships to travel due to the unpredictable movements of the asteroids themselves. So far long and short range scans have turned up no particle residue of sign of ship fragments, I hope that this was not where they were lost, if it was, there is little hope for their survival.

**Journal Idle – Inactive User**

Journal Reactivated. Entry 10 Continued – 17 minutes inactive.

I regret to report that I have located a fragment of Jedi Niet's transport, however, there is still hope, I have located a vapor trail on scanners that fits with the exhaust pattern of a damaged cruiser. I am now following it towards what the ships long range scanner has determined as a small, temperate planet, nearly 75 percent of its surface appears to be water but there are several large land masses upon it. Tracing the trajectory of the vapor and exhaust trail the ship is following Jedi Niet's transport most likely crash landed on the northern continent. I'm beginning my atmospheric descent now.

**Temporary Shutdown Engaged**

Temporary Shutdown Disengaged – Deactivated for 4 hours and 14 minutes.

I have located Masha Niet's ship, at least, what is left of it, the ship itself looks to be an old freighter, I speculate that they opted for an undercover ship like this to avoid being attacked by anyone who might not wish the clans on Baradui to reconcile but it seems it has cost them more than it has helped them, this old scrap heap is collapsing even while I look at it. There are tracks leading into the jungle which I intend to follow; Masha and her padawan likely went in search of better shelter for while they wait for rescue, hopefully I can reach them before they get to far into the woodlands.

This planet is extremely fertile, I've seen at least ten different types of trees in this one forest and I've only gone a mile or so thus far. I'm still trailing Jedi Niet with ease; they marked the trail they took through the woods so they could find their way back to the crash site.

I should note that the further I go the more I am getting the feeling of being watched. Something ominous is in this jungle, I can sense the movement around me but it is swift and it knows how to move subtly to avoid detection, by the time I've figured out where it was it has always moved on. I have to find Masha and Makai before this creature finds them, it can be nothing else but a predator and if either of them is hurt they may not be able to fend it off.

**End Log**

- - -  
_In the Jungles of Baradui  
_- - -  
**_  
_**Master Ti had been walking for over an hour and a half. The feeling of being watched came and went. Something was here; something that Shaak began to suspect might actually have a connection to the force. Only a few miles east of Master Ti's current position, Jedi Knight Masha Niet and her Padawan Makai Ioe lay by a stream of cool water. The 14 year old human boy was gravely injured, his left arm had been knocked from his socket in the crash and his right leg bore a massive gash. Jedi Niet had torn away her own outer tunic along with her padawan's to help bandage his wounds and put his arm in a sling after being forced to shove it back into it's proper position. Masha Niet was a Zabrak, naturally extremely tolerant when it came to pain, even more so thanks to her Jedi training but she knew all to well the fragile nature of a human body. She herself was not too seriously injured she had sprained her left wrist but pushed through the pain and had it in a splint now. Makai had the benefit of his master's Zabrakki techniques to resist pain and was handling himself beautifully but she could see the pain well within the boy's eyes any time he moved a muscle.

"Hold on, Padawan…" She urged, gently dabbing his forehead with a wet strip of cloth. 

The two jedi sat with their feet in the water, they had soaked their robes thoroughly before putting them back on to stave off the heat of the day. The large trees shaded them nicely here and Masha knew that keep pressure on his wounds and keep him out of the heat were the only ways to help him till a rescuer arrived. She knew someone would come, but she didn't know when, they had been here for a day now. She'd managed to find some native fruits for them to eat and had done her best to use the force to help speed her Padawan's recovery but his wounds were deep, he needed the force healers of the Jedi Temple and Jedi Niet was beginning to wonder if they would get back in time to save her Padawan's leg from amputation. 

"Master…" Makai croaked suddenly.

"Shh!" Masha hissed to her apprentice. "I know… It's back…"

She could sense it even more than her Padawan. That presence, watching them… Moving, shifting, never in the same place twice. Like a vulture circling a dying sentient, it had a predatory aura about it but it had not attacked them. Masha had stayed up the past two nights, sleeping when she could during the day when ever the presence abated long enough for her to feel safe to catch a few moments rest. It was waiting for them to drop their guard. It could sense that they were a threat despite both being injured. 

"It was gone longer this time… Maybe it's losing interest?" Makai asked in a weak voice.

"Doubtful… But I wonder what caught it's curiosity for so long…"

- - - -

**Author's Notes: ** I am so, SO sorry this took so long to get out. Finally out of school for summer so hopefully I can get a few chapters churned out before the fall semester begins! )


	11. Entry 11

**Author's Notes:** HAH! You didn't think I'd have another one up this soon didja! Shows what j00 know! Entry 12 will arrive soon too.   
**  
**- - - -  
**  
Logging in…  
Welcome Shaak Ti**

Entry #11  


Interesting how we 'sentient' beings of the galaxy always seem to leave the one thing we need most behind whenever they go somewhere. With the sun almost set I suddenly find myself aware that I left my glow rods back at the ship, and am now to deep into the woods to be able to trek back safely in the dark. Thankfully, my species is innately nocturnal in nature so as long as this moonlight prevails, between my own sight and the dim light provided by my journal should be enough for me to see.

I have not felt the alien presence in some time, so long that it is beginning to unnerve me. It left suddenly and never returned even for a moment. I can't help wondering if it has gone hunting after Jedi Niet and her padawan…

**Journal Idle – Inactive User**

Journal Reactivated. Entry 11 Continued – 7 minutes inactive.  


I'm not positive, but fairly sure that I hear running water, I can sense the vibration of more animals now, nocturnal rodents and avian mostly which would suggest a nearby water source to cause so much activity. If there is a river or stream near here survival training at the temple would suggest that is likely where I will find Niet and Ioe.

It's back! I can feel the presence once more. It is stronger, it seems bolstered, heightened, more confident in the darkness, as if it is even more certain now of it's invisibility to my mind. Strange how confidence always seems to make weakness apparent; its sudden assurance in its stealth is like a beacon, I can feel its superiority, this is the strongest I've been able to since it thus far. It is obviously at least semi-sentient if not a fully sentient being, I feel oddly unsettled now. It is natural for a sentient to feel ill at ease when they realize the predator hunting them is smarter than first thought, I suppose. I find myself now acutely aware of where my saber is hanging on my belt in case I should need to grab it.

I'm certain I hear water now. I'm following the sound of it and trying to trace the vibrations, the more active the animals around me the more likely that the water is close.

**Journal Idle – Inactive User**

Automatic Shutdown initiated. Inactive user. End entry 11.

_- - -  
On the shore of the River  
- - -_

It was quiet, to quiet. She was on the shore of the river now, scanning up and down it, the Baradui jungle bordered each side of the river, but the moon light illuminated the shores providing much better visibility. All the animals Shaak had sensed as she made her way to this point, all the herbivores darting about in the darkness while the predators slept were suddenly silent. She no longer sensed bustling movement, only the occasional stir from a few of the large creature's skulking about, and she no longer sensed the presence of her stalker. It was too tranquil, too peaceful, the calm before the storm. 

Master Ti's large eyes swept up and down the river bank. There it was, perhaps half a mile off, the flicker of a fire. She quickly headed up the shore line towards the flickering flame. She had come to be a mere quarter mile away when she felt the presence returning. This time there was no emotion from it, just a presence, as if it no longer cared in the least if she sensed it or not. This was the most ill-at-ease she had felt since her arrival on the planet. The creature was there, it _wanted_ her to know it was there, why? For what purpose, what reason?

- - -  
_At Jedi Niet's camp  
_- - -

Masha Niet wrapped her cloak tightly around Makai Ioe's body when she noticed he was shivering in the chill evening air. It had gone from a warm day to a cold night quickly once the sun descended beyond the trees. She had gathered all the wood she could to keep a fire going through out the night. Suddenly she felt it, the presence of their unseen enemy, the one who had watched them ever since they first landed. But there was another presence this time, one she recognized, not individually but spiritually, the calm and determined resolve of a Jedi. Help had arrived, but the predator! What was it? She subconsciously moved a hand to her lightsaber now as she searched the darkness; a zabrak's eyes were keener then a human's but still not meant for seeing in the dark.

As the Jedi Knight gazed out over the moonlit river she saw it. A sudden flash of blue light, a beam that whipped back and fourth through the darkness sending up a shower of sparks as it clashed against another unseen weapon strong enough to stop it. Her first instinct was to race out to assist the other Jedi, but she knew that if she left Makai some other predator might catch him; she couldn't leave her injured padawan. Masha stood by the fire, saber in hand but still deactivated as she watched the fight going on in the darkness.

- - -  
_On the shore  
- - -  
_

It struck like lightening, she barely had a second to react, her saber activating in time to parry a blow from some odd sword like object, it was to dark to see what sort of material made up the weapon but she could plainly see the humanoid being in the darkness illuminated in the shimmering blue light of her saber. 

The creature's skin was tight against a muscular body, it was hard to identify if it was male or female, she couldn't even make out it's coloration, green, black, brown, grey it was to difficult to tell with the only light source being her blue saber and the moon above. The creature wore no clothing and seemed to have no genitalia. Its face was a disturbing image, eyes sunk into deep sockets and no nose at all, just two nostril slits on another wise flat face; it seemed rather reptilian in nature. The most shocking fact for Shaak Ti was that the weapon it wielded actually stood up against the astonishing burning capability of her lightsaber.

After the initial strike the attacker leapt back circling around her, a dark silhouette only revealed by the glow of her blade while she circled in turn. The long forward tendrils of her montrals quivered softly as she felt every movement, every vibration, and every twitch of her opponent's body. The attacker lunged with a swift horizontal swipe of it's blade like weapon, cutting down towards her from the left. Shaak's blade snapped up instantly, parrying the strike and knocking it away, her body spinning like a top, her free hand whipping out striking the warrior's chest with her open palm and knocking the being back into the water. Now that it was in the water she could feel even more vibration, she was in her element, she didn't need see, she didn't need to hear her enemy breathing; she could feel it moving, she could sense the rise and fall of its lungs pumping within its chest. There was no escape from her blade now. The monster had exposed it self to her, and the only means of survival now was to defeat her or to surrender.

It was clear to Shaak that the idea of surrender would never even enter this being's mind, it would slay her or die trying; Shaak Ti had no intention of failure, she had come to rescue to of the Order and she would leave with them. She moved like a dancer, as the beastly warrior lashed out with a horizontal swipe of the blade. Shaak leapt into the air flying gracefully upward, flipping in mid-leap and landing behind her attacker, bringing her blade back to catch an over head strike from the warrior's weapon, tilting her saber so that the tip aimed for the ground, causing her foe's blade to slide down the length of hers in a shower of sparks. Once more she spun on her feet, her long dress billowing around her as she brought her right leg up in a kick that caught the attacker in its mid-section and sent it sprawling back through the water.

With a beastly roar it attacked again. Their weapons clashed over and over. Her opponent proved a skilled fighter; she was impressed by the capabilities it showed, never in doubt of her safety. Shaak Ti was an emissary of peace, she never resorted to battle unless there was no other alternative, taking life was a horrendous act for her, but few could match a togrutian jedi in battle and Shaak Ti was one of the very best. Her movements were like a well practiced dance, a perfectly built machine, her first attempt was to simply tire her foe out and hope that it might yield. After nearly ten minutes engaged in combat, however, it became obvious the sentient would not simply surrender from exhaustion. Shaak steeled her resolve, her body responded fluidly weaving around a piercing thrust from the warrior's blade, her saber spinning in her hand into a reverse grip, holding the saber with the blade tip now aimed for the ground as she brought it up and to the right, knocking his stabbing thrust away from her body before spinning the hilt of her blade in her hand once more, the thrum of her lightsaber turning to a sizzling crackle as it cut through flesh and bone at the warrior's wrist.

The warrior gave no cry at the loss of its hand. It maintained a hold of its weapon in the other hand, seeming virtually unphased by the wound as it whipped around and caught her with its now mangled limb. The bloody stump of an arm caught her by the rib cage and knocked her to the ground. With a roar her opponent leapt at her bringing its weapon down like a cleaver straight for the valley between the montrals atop her head; the look of violent rage upon its face faltering into a look of stunned surprise and defeated resignation as the togrutian's saber slid up into the would be murderer's belly and pierced through its torso protruding out of its back straight through the spinal column.

She deactivated her saber as her foe tumbled to the ground, falling onto its side resting in the shallow water. Shaak drew herself up to stand once more. Suddenly the forest was alive again, she could sense movement, creatures scurrying about, as if coming to see if the great predator were truly dead; if this jungle stalking monstrosity had finally fallen. Shaak sighed softly, clipping her lightsaber back to her belt-sash and turning back towards the camp fire, making her way towards the stranded Jedi.

- - - -

**Author's Notes: ** Stay tuned for Entry 12.


	12. Entry 12

**Logging In… Welcome, Shaak Ti.**

Entry 12

I've located Masha Niet and her padawan Makai Ioe. Makai is badly injured but no fatally, we will begin our return to the ship come morning. The creature finally made itself known, attacking me and forcing me to execute it in order to save myself. I have never encountered a being like this in my history as a Jedi. It seemed reptilian, I cannot say whether it was truly sentient or not, it never spoke to me or showed any sign of intelligence beyond a warrior's instinct but its skill in combat would suggest it was smart enough to have been able to learn, or be taught, how to fight like most humanoids. I will have to return to examine it closer in the morning when there is adequate light.

**Journal Idle – Inactive User**

- - -  
_At the Camp  
- - -_

Shaak Ti set her journal datapad down quickly, moving to Makai's said as Masha held the quivering human against her for warmth, bundling her cloak tight around the young boy's body. 

"The blood loss is affecting him, he can't produce enough heat to keep himself warm…" Shaak murmured, more to herself than to Masha.

The blonde haired Zabrak frowned worriedly, looking down at her Padawan.

Shaak's large black eyes seemed to water slightly at the look on Jedi Niet's face. She had lost both the padawans she had trained during her time as a Jedi, she refused to allow another jedi apprentice to perish in front of her.

"Give him to me." She told Masha in a soft voice.

The Zabrak Jedi looked up at the Jedi Master hesitantly, she trusted Shaak but she was hesitant to let go of her padawan fearing she might lose him permanently if she let him go. Shaak held out her arms embracingly. 

"Give him to me, Masha." She said again, giving a reassuring smile to the other female. "It will be all right."

Masha slowly lifted Masha up and passed the boy to Shaak Ti. The togrutian jedi removed her heaving over robe, wrapping it around the boy and laying him upon his bedroll. She stood up after this and reached back, removing her skirt, leaving her in her simple black top and trousers as she used the skirt as another blanket to bundle the boy in before nodding at Masha. 

Masha Niet lay down on the bedroll beside her padawan, pulling him into her arms tightly once more, breathing a sigh of relief. "He's not shuddering anymore… Thank you, Master Ti."

Shaak smiled faintly, giving a faint nod as she watched the boy's troubled look fade from his sleeping face, replaced by one of tranquility. She looked oddly barren without the decorative cloak and skirt. The brown, gold trimmed sash around her waist looking almost silly accompanied by the plain black top and pants without the heavy clothing she normally wore. The long tendrils that sprouted from the sides and back of her skull looked far to big for her body now as if trying to move would add to much top heavy weight and bring her to her knees.

Masha looked at the Togruta in awe. At that moment, Shaak Ti was the most noble being she'd ever seen; Shaak Ti was her Padawan's savior, she had ensured his survival and possibly her own, she couldn't think of how she would ever to be able to repay Master Ti within her lifetime.

- - -

**Journal Reactivated. Entry 12 continued - 14 minutes inactive.**

I believe Makai Ioe will make it to Coruscant safely, once we get him on board the ship we will be able to stop any infections from his wounds and apply bacta to the laceration on his leg. Jedi Niet has sprained her left wrist but has suffered only minor injuries beyond that, I am impressed at how well they made it out of the crash considering the damage to their ship.

Masha Niet has stated that she is not certain how they actually ended up crashing. From the looks of the ship it seemed that one of the port engines was struck by an asteroid or some other fragmentation as they flew. I will take a closer look before our departure tomorrow. For now I am watching over the camp so that both Masha and Makai may get some sleep.

**Journal Idle – Inactive User**

Journal Reactivated. Entry 12 continued – 17 minutes inactive.

I still feel ill at ease. With the warrior slain the animals around us seem to almost be celebrating the defeat of a top predator, but with so much movement I'm unable to differentiate between one animal and the next, and I'm almost certain that I sensed another very large presence, perhaps more than one. They weren't close to the camp but it is still unsettling to think other large predators may be moving about now that the apparent top link of this regions food chain has been killed. For a time I feared that the warrior's defeat would bring negative side effects to the natural balance in this jungle, however, the way the animals are moving about suggests to me that this warrior may not have been a native being at all. 

If it wasn't native I can't help wondering where it came from though, what little I was able to see of it would suggest it's been here some time. A crashed landed alien of some sort, perhaps from the outer regions, a species not within the republic? I've never seen or even heard of a creature like what I faced tonight before now. Still, I will have plenty of time to think through all of this during the return trip to Coruscant, for now I should pay close attention to my guardian ship while Jedi Niet and her padawan sleep.

**End Log.**

- - - -

**A.N. **Entry 13 shall be up soon!


	13. Entry 13

**A.N.**

Whew! Man it's been awhile I know. I've had some major changes happen in life, such as getting a room mate, finally having to end a long distance relationship with my girlfriend, and also discovering that there are more interesting things in life than StarWars (Shocking, I know).

But you, you all thought I'd just flat out forgotten this series didn't you? HAH! You're not that lucky! I still have more to come! It's just slow in delivery! 

Very… Very… Slow…   
I did however get inspired to write more by winning a state writing competition, so I just might be getting back into the swing of things more often!

**- - - -**

**Logging In… Welcome, Shaak Ti.**

Entry 13

It's gone. I don't know how, or why, but something, or someone, in the night managed to take the body of my enemy without me sensing it. I never even felt the movement of anything large enough to take this being away; there is no plausible explanation for this that I can determine. As I write this out Jedi Niet, Padawan Ioe and myself are returning back through the jungle, and once more, I feel I am being watched. I can tell Masha senses it as well, but she also senses what I do, that our observers are no longer hostile. To make a blind assumption is foolish, but, purely hypothetically, from what I have experienced I would say that perhaps it is some tribal species, likely that settled here from another world, and that the one I fought was a challenger, testing my strength. The society of this race would probably be primitive and native, their warrior spirit is probably their driving force, by proving myself a capable warrior I earned their respect, and free passage for myself and my companions back to our vessel.

Without the sense of hostility the entire planet seems different. This is one of the most beautiful worlds I have ever been to. There are flowers as big as I am tall, and such magnificent trees. I've taken the liberty of harvesting seeds from some of the plants to bring back with me to analyze, and hopefully to have planted in the gardens at the temple. Some of the plants are almost as smart as animals, they seem to think and react, I have seen vines growing at an amazing speed, choosing their destinations, pausing in midair as they twine themselves around trees, hovering between two branches debating which one would be more suitable to wrap around. This planet is truly astounding, I wish I had more time to stay and study the flora and fauna here but Makai must reach the ship and be treated and then taken to Coruscant as quickly as we can.

I'm finding it surprisingly easier to navigate the forest this time. Where it seemed like a dense maze yesterday afternoon this morning things are so clear, the paths seem well-worn, as if the plants simply removed themselves from under foot. There is more room to move and the trees do not seem so dense, I cannot explain this to my own satisfaction, my only conclusion must be that I was concerned for Jedi Niet and her Padawan and that my busy mind disoriented me and led me to think this foliage was thicker than it truly is… Still, there's something about this place, as beautiful and fascinating as it is, part of me will be very glad to leave this planet.

**Journal Idle – Inactive User  
- - -  
**_At The Landing Site._**  
- - -**

The force can warn a Jedi of a great many things, but sometimes you don't need the force, sometimes even the most simple minded sentient knows when danger is right on the other side of the door. We reacted instantly, Makai pushed away from his master and propped against a tree, holding his saber in his free hand with his thumb upon the activator. Masha and Master Ti's sabers blazed to life as they moved forward toward the ship.

The term "to quiet" entered Shaak's head momentarily, but that wasn't her main concern, her chief cause of alarm was the silence, like the quiet of the void of space, no sound met the ears at all now that they entered the open glade where she had landed her ship.****

Journal Reactivated. Entry 13 continued – 3 hours 7 minutes inactive.

Frequently there are times when you don't need the force to know something isn't right. When we reached the ship we knew something really wasn't right, Masha and I activated our sabers the moment we entered the glade where I had landed. Nothing seemed amiss, it was quiet, and that was what made it so unnerving, it was beyond quiet, it was complete and total silence. The jungle teeming with life had become as still and quiet as it often felt when traveling through hyperspace. I told Masha what I felt, nothing, no movement at all. We were completely alone, it was like the entire forest had turned into a ghostly wasteland, I didn't even hear distant birds anymore or sense the smallest of rodents and other miniscule creatures scuttling around the grass in the clearing or in the bush around us.

I reached out and added the force to my innate abilities, trying to feel anything at all, a vibration on the normal physical level, a vibration within the force, anything to show a life form besides the three of us might be near. It was a distant spark, something that was trying to hide, the pulse of life was distant but I could tell the creature itself was actually very near and when I finally found it its life force became crystal clear, as did the situation itself.

Whatever this entity was, it had rudimentary knowledge of the force, it wasn't fully sentient but had enough intelligence to gain some advantageous ability within the force. I recall suddenly the study of creatures like the sith dragons of Korriban, able to hide themselves from the naked eye while they hunt. Whatever this thing was, it had the same ability, it was in the glade with us but we couldn't see it. 

"Something is here… Don't move, if we hold still we may be able to lure it close-" I stopped in mid-sentence, I felt the creature move, it had changed direction and was heading for Masha's padawan. "Makai! Attack!"

Makai reacted quickly to my command; he swung his saber out in an upward arc from right to left. A shriek met our ears and suddenly it the creature seemed to just pop into view out of thin air. It was a rather ape like in appearance, but seemed void of any actual fur, and despite that it was now missing the lower part of its left arm I could still sense waves of hostility and menace emanating from it. Its mind was chaotic. I couldn't even reach it when I tried to calm it down through the force. All I could sense was rage. It hated us; why, I couldn't determine. I didn't get any sense that we had encroached upon its territory but it hated us remorselessly. Masha was already moving by the time I'd recovered from the realization of just how strong this creature's malice to us was. Masha moved to stand between her injured padawan and the monstrosity that towered a good foot and a half over her. For a brief moment I found myself realizing that Jedi Niet is really quite short for a Zabrak, then my mind snapped into focus, the creature seemed to decide that it had a better chance against one opponent than two and it rapidly swung about and leapt at me. The reaction was instinctual, my saber rose from the position I'd held it out, tip to the ground, and snapped through the air in a diagonal arc and the creature; rather, the two halves of it, landed on either side of me.

We decided to take the creature's remains with us, vicious or no, it had some rudimentary force skill and seems worthy of study, and a proper cremation. The ship was slightly damaged, it seemed a few creatures got curious and tried to get a few panels off to get at the wiring, but the damage as minimal. It took less than half a standard hour to repair and then we were able to be on our way back.

Padawan Makai Ioe is resting comfortably in the med-bay and I believe he shall make a safe recovery, though we are moving at top speed for Coruscant, the sooner he's seen to directly by the Jedi Healers the happier I shall be. Jedi Knight Masha Niet is sleeping in the med-bay with him. Masha's close bond to her Padawan reminds me of the bond I once shared with mine. Fe and Makai are similar too. Fe trusted in me the way Makai trusts in Masha… I cannot deny that this mission has made me lament more upon the loss of my own Padawan, but it has also opened my eyes to something more… Perhaps, rather than mourning over my past apprenticeship, I should begin a new one.

**End Log. **

**- - - -**

**HAH!** You didn't think I had a plan after this did you!? Well lookie what ol' LoneWolf pulled out on you! I DO have a plan! The plan for the rise of a new Padawan Master storyline… Just remember the tragedy of Shaak Ti's padawans, and don't get too attached…


End file.
